


Major Benjamin Tallmadge's Day Off

by Taste_of_Suburbia



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Banter, Best Friends, Cuddling & Snuggling, Day Off, Family, Fandom Stocking 2018, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Pre-Slash, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 19:09:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17473334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taste_of_Suburbia/pseuds/Taste_of_Suburbia
Summary: “I’ll keep you in this tent if I have to.”Or: Caleb really wants to get into Ben’s bed.





	Major Benjamin Tallmadge's Day Off

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Impala_Chick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Chick/gifts).



> A gift for impala_chick’s stocking for Fandom Stocking. Because we all need Ben and Caleb cuddles.

 

Caleb’s morning began early, per usual, though as soon as he finished his duties around camp he sought out Ben, whom he surprisingly hadn’t seen all morning.

And imagine Caleb’s surprise when he entered the Major’s tent to find him still in bed, awake but lounging in his unmade bed, in little but his nightclothes and boots. The sight was certainly a pleasing one for Caleb’s tired eyes.

“And what do you think you’re doing, Tallboy?” Caleb demanded, pushing Ben’s legs aside so he could rest his own weary feet. He drew up the nearest chair and slid forward, pulling his feet up so they could rest at the bottom of Ben’s bed.

“Enjoying my day off,” Ben responded almost haughtily, ridiculously long legs trying to push Caleb’s off. He gave up fairly early on in their wrestling and tipped his head back against his pillow, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes.

Caleb just watched him, amazed. Growing up he’d often have a hard time waking Benny up and usually had to resort to shouting at him or smacking him with the nearest pillow or even tickling him. Even when finally awake, Caleb still had to put in the effort to  _keep_ him awake, since Benny had seemed to enjoy his sleep more than anything else. That had changed in years past, with Ben usually up before even Caleb now, who had always been an early riser. Caleb was also painfully aware of the fact that Ben often stayed up far past Caleb into the night as well. 

Lots of things had changed, but Caleb still enjoyed being with Ben as much as he had when they were boys, and he still found him quite amusing, especially now. Perfectly ripe for teasing, Caleb had always said, and what a relief to find that that hadn’t changed after all these years and after how much they’d both grown.

So Caleb ignored Ben’s argument for rest and grinned at him wickedly. “You, having a day off? I must be dreaming.”

Ben sighed in exasperation and shot Caleb a glare. “Everyone can look after themselves for a day, Caleb.”

“That include me?”

Ben smiled, just a little, hardly noticeable and Caleb’s insides turned gooey and he wanted to climb up onto Ben’s bed, just to see how he would react. They hadn’t shared a bed in years, it just wasn’t a necessity anymore and they also weren’t  _kids_ anymore, but something told Caleb that Benny wouldn’t be  _particularly_ adverse to it. “I’ll keep you in this tent if I have to.”

The likelihood of sharing Ben’s bed just like old times had suddenly  _skyrocketed_ . Caleb shifted in the chair, ready to spring up at a moment’s notice. He waited a beat, waited until Ben closed his eyes and relaxed just a fraction more before he pounced. He stood up quietly, easily Ben’s boots off slowly. “I do hope it’ll come to that, Benny. I truly do,” he teased softly. 

Ben’s eyes peeked open again as Caleb set his own boots on the floor next to Ben’s. “What are you doing?”

“Getting you comfortable. It is your day off, after all.” Caleb honestly lived for the days that he could spoil Ben a little, which were very few and far between and the ones he could think of certainly didn’t count because they weren’t bereft of gut-clenching  _panic_ and insane fucking  _worry_ that Ben would live through the night. Now, however, was his chance and he damn well was going to take advantage of it. He’d treat Ben like a prince for a while and also take advantage of him for his own selfish needs. 

And he’d pray to the almighty lord above that it would be a full day  _without_ interruptions. 

Ben shifted until he was sitting up somewhat, watching him carefully and with an affection that was only for Caleb, head pillowed comfortably on his arm. “And you?”

In these moments, Caleb wanted to return his affection and for putting up with him  _tenfold._ “I suppose I could take a day off too, if the Major grants it?”

“Wish granted. Now please, let me sleep.”

Caleb tsked. “You’re going to sleep on a beautiful day like this? What a shame that would be, Tallboy.”

Ben sighed exasperatedly and Caleb just narrowly dodged his playful smack. “If I step outside the men are going to pester me, Caleb, you know that as well as I. Now if General Washington requires me, that’s another story, but he didn’t seem to object to my asking for a day to myself.”

Caleb, alarmed, wondered if Ben was truly  _sane._ “Asking? You  _asked_ Washington?”

_Yep, the poor lad_ must  _be tired,_ Caleb mused as Benny ran past his comment as if it been a perfectly  _normal_ request. “He’s not a cold man, Caleb. Besides, us laying low for a little while provides me with the perfect opportunity to ask a favor.”

“Then you’ll plead on my behalf too, will ya?”

“If it comes to that. But it won’t,” Ben insisted as he noticed the pleased look on Caleb’s face. Caleb, who was picturing Ben, uniform askew and boots half-on, begging his  _majesty_ if the two of them could go play hooky for the day. Where  _had_ the last dozen or so years gone? 

It took Caleb several  _long_ moments more to get over his disbelief at Benny having the audacity to ask General Washington for a  _day off._

And then he realized how much time he was wasting and how close Ben was to falling asleep, wasting the day away in slumber. “And by the way, Bennyboy, not sleeping doesn’t mean venturing outside. I can think of  _plenty_ of other things to do all cooped up in here.”

Caleb turned his head and stared at him curiously. The question was an almost fearful one, “Like what?”

“Like this.” Caleb climbed into the bed beside an oddly but  _adorably_ compliant Ben and snuggled up against him, throwing an arm over him protectively and allowing Ben to pillow his head on his shoulder, grateful that he wasn’t trying to break free. “See? We can just lay here comfortably and talk. Just like the old days.” Ben sunk deeper into him and Caleb took in his face lighting up just a bit more, years being washed away in seconds and revealing the Ben from boyhood that he could always see peeking out but never as strongly as he was witnessing now. “You look good like this, Tallboy, peaceful, _relaxed_ .”

“We don’t get to see each other like this much anymore, huh?” Ben admitted, frowning, and Caleb tickled his side in punishment.

“Hey!”

Caleb relented, feeling happier than he had in a long while as he gazed down at Ben. “No frowning. Not today. Today we’re two little boys that haven’t had to grow up so fast. Today, we’re going to do nothing but lay around and talk and laugh and eat until neither one of us can get up. And drink too. I’ll sneak out later and scrounge us up some of that ale that doesn’t taste like watered down piss.”

Ben laughed loudly, teeth pearly white and beautiful, and Caleb put the awe-inspiring sight into his pocket, safe and sound and secret, to be saved for later.

**FIN**

 


End file.
